Words by Adam Bateman, photos by Jonathan White
After avenging the home defeat to Ashton United and getting the vital win on their ground, Nantwich were looking to make it three wins in succession, with the Cheshire Cup win over Cheadle Heath proving the spark that the club needed.
In conditions that were overcast, but great to play football in, the game kicked off, with the home side looking to carry on from where they left off.
It was Matt Bell that had the first sighter of a shot of the afternoon, which went just over the bar for the Dabbers.
Nantwich had come out looking really good, and were playing some very expansive football, with Mwiya Malumo next to try his luck as his header flashed just past Daniel Lawson’s goal in the Morpeth net, without anyone managing to tap it in.
This was very good stuff, Manager Ritchie Sutton and Head Coach Gary Taylor-Fletcher must have been very pleased with how their side had started the game.
The chances kept on coming, which was the very pleasing aspect of this game, the players looked hungry, and wanted to carry on their winning ways, Dan Cockerline saw his close range header saved, but the momentum was very much all one way during the first quarter of the game.
Morpeth looked to try to get a small foothold in the game after this, as Dale Pearson first saw his shot go over Tom Booth’s bar, and then their captain Jeff Henderson had a header from a free-kick narrowly go over the bar.
This was turning into a very exciting game, with chances at both ends of the pitch.
The turning point of the first half came just before the half hour mark, as Nantwich had a corner, and from a bit of a scramble, Byron Harrison poked the ball home (pictured below), to the delight of the home crowd, although footage showed the final touch may have come off a Morpeth player, but Byron will surely still claim it.
This seemed to shock Morpeth and they didn’t know quite how to react, as this seemed to really galvanise Nantwich to attack the visitors more, Troy Bourne slid in at the far post, but couldn’t quite poke the ball home to double the lead.
At this point, it seemed a case of when not if Nantwich would double their lead, such was the fluidity of their play.
Cockerline again had another headed chance, that Lowson was all to happy to see come his way.
There was brief respite for the Morpeth defence, as they had a chance at the other end with Jeff Henderson again causing problems from another free-kick, but thankfully his header didn’t trouble Booth as it sailed over the bar.
The returning to full fitness Casper Hughes put the pressure back on Morpeth with another shot, which was very unfortunate to not trouble Lowson more.
The last major act of the first half saw Dan Cockerline, who was putting himself and his body on the line for the cause, have another shot that Lowson did very well to save.
As the half time whistle was blown, it was Morpeth who were the more relieved side, as Nantwich had performed very well, and deserved to go in with more then just that single goal lead advantage.
Whatever Sutton and Taylor-Fletcher said in the dressing room at half time seemed to work a treat, as Nantwich seemed to look a side possessed, a side that looked firmly committed to the cause of not just winning this match, but winning it in style.
Dan Cockerline had a flick of his boot, and that nearly found its way in, you could see the confidence oozing out of the players, as they ran their hearts out for each other all over the pitch.
On a very brief foray forward Connor Pani had a chance for Morpeth, but he saw his shot very well saved by Tom Booth.
From there the traffic was just constant towards Lowson’s goal, with a Bourne header, then Malumo shot really putting the pressure on the visitors’ defence (pictured below).
Dan Cockerline again was very busy, and he saw another shot of his saved by Lowson, who must have been wishing that his defence wasn’t quite as open as it was fast becoming.
With a move that was very pleasing on the eye, Nantwich did double their lead, and it was very much with the run of play.
The finds it way to Malumo in the corner of the visitors box, his delicate header was perfectly weighted and falls right into the onrushing path of Dan Cockerline who fires powerfully into the back of the net (pictured below).
He gets his very much hard earned goal, for a very good display, the fans were very much delighted with that goal.
If there was any pressure now on the home side, they didn’t show it, as they were playing with a freedom that had seldom been seen at the Swansway Stadium in a long time.
Soon after to more delight of the home fans, a third goal came along, as the Morpeth defence don’t clear their lines, substitute Tom Scully, who had earlier come on for captain Matt Bell, saw his shot poked home by Malumo (pictured below).
Two goals in just a matter of three second half minutes had put the game beyond Morpeth, and they looked completely out of ideas as to how to stop the continuing onslaught.
Nantwich should have added a fourth goal late on as a goal mouth scramble saw a Byron Harrison shot cleared right on the goal-line.
The final chance of the game summed everything up, when luck is on your side, it is really on your side, as Malumo saw his cross come shot almost float all the win in, but it went over Lowson’s head and it hit the bar.
The final whistle blew not too much longer after that, and it brought to an end a thoroughly entertaining game, with the home side fully deserving their win and three points.
Teams
Nantwich Town: Tom Booth, Perry Bircumshaw, Sean Lawton, Troy Bourne, Harry Nevin, Caspar Hughes, Mwiya Malumo, Matt Bell © (Tom Scully, 54), Dan Cockerline (Shaun Miller, 84), Ivan Urvantev (Curtis Morrison, 74), Byron Harrison
Substitutes not used: Jack Sherratt, Jon Moran
Morpeth Town: Daniel Lowson, Ryan Wombwell, Michael Turner, Connor Pani, Jeff Henderson ©, Callum Morris, Jack Foalle (Henry Harvey, 88), Liam Noble (Josh Robson, 70), Dale Pearson, Connor Thomson, Ben Ramsey
Substitute not used: Michael Johnstone
Attendance: 253